Increased COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy and Health Awareness amid COVID-19 Vaccinations Programs in Israel

Maayan Shacham, Lee Greenblatt-Kimron, Yaira Hamama-Raz, Leslie R. Martin, Oren Peleg, Menachem Ben-Ezra and Eitan Mijiritsky
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Maayan Shacham: School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
Lee Greenblatt-Kimron: School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
Yaira Hamama-Raz: School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
Leslie R. Martin: Department of Psychology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA 92515, USA
Oren Peleg: Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel
Menachem Ben-Ezra: School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
Eitan Mijiritsky: Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: In January 2021, Israel started vaccinating healthcare workers (HCWs) and individuals older than 65 years with COVID-19 vaccines. Scientific literature points to vaccine hesitancy as being a major health concern. During time of pandemics, increased consciousness of health behaviors may be encountered. The current study aimed to assess attitudes to general vaccines and to COVID-19 vaccines in particular among adult (>18) Israeli general public, and among Israeli dentists and dental hygienists. Cross-sectional surveys were filled out by a total of 501 participants (361 Israeli adults >18 years, 73 dental hygienists, and 67 dentists). Along with basic demographics, participants responded to the Hebrew VAX, COVID-VAX and HCS scales. Group comparisons were analyzed using t tests and ANOVAs with Scheffe’s test used for post hoc comparisons. Dental hygienists demonstrated significantly higher anti-vaccinations approaches than both dentists ( p < 0.01) and the general public ( p < 0.05). In all groups, attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines were more negative compared to attitudes towards general vaccines, with hygienists demonstrating significant negative attitudes compared to dentists ( p < 0.05). The general public ( p = 0.56) and hygienists demonstrated increased health awareness compared to dentists ( p < 0.05). As health awareness has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic primary strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy should be implemented in the general public, and in particular, an dental teams.

Keywords: vaccination; vaccine hesitancy; dentists; dental hygienists; vaccination attitudes; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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